The Russellville Democrat. [volume] (Russellville, Ark.) 1875-1898, 1887-05-11
POPE COUNTY.
HER RESOURCES, MINERALS,
BUILDING STONE, COAL,
LEAD, COPPER, ETC.
HER TOWNS, RAIL ROADS,
RIVERS, LANDS AND
THEIR QUALITIES.
Her People, Schools, Churches
and Charitable Institutions.

readers a description in general Of
the soil, timber, etc, Of Pope county.
The frequent letters which we and
other of our citizens are receiving as
to these points, has induced US to
compile this brief description of one
Of the most attractive counties in
the State, and we now undertake to
say that the natural resources OF
Pope county are sufficient to make
her commonwealth within her self.
The Information contained In the
following description is obtained
principally from report made By
Messrs. j. w. Washburn and w. p.
Dencla, both gentlemen Of fine at
talnmenJs and with a thorough
knowledge Of the subject treated of,
obtained from actual reconnaissance
of the territory described.
We can only give the report made
Dy them in an abbreviated form, but
enough we hope, to give a general
idea of the subject that these gentle
men seem to have investigated, and
from our personal knowledge of the
territory described, they have given
a truthful description. This Inves-
tigation made by these gentlemen
was made under the auspices of the
Little Rock and Fort Smith railroad
company some years ago, soon after
the surrender, and when the country
was in dilapidated and distracted
condition. Since that time there
has been vast improvement in the
condition of the county, especially
in the morals and society OF the
county. Churches and school hous-
es dot our county In every neighbor-
hood Good will and good feelings
prevail and our people will welcome
strangers in their midst and the fu-
ture of the county is full of promise.
We have as good free school sys.
TEN as any state in the West or
South, and will compare favorably
with the systems of the New Eng
| land States.
On PointRemove hills in the north
east portion of the county lead has
been found, and iron darkens the
rocks. On this stream in sec. 81,
TIP 8, range Is, Ephraim Lemly
plowed up sulpnate Of lead while
preparing his ground for wheat.
From PolntRemove to Illinois Bayou
in an eastern direction in Pope coun
ty, the land and timber are superior.
The Illinois Bayou enters the county
at its extreme north eastern bound
airy and meanders through the coun-
/ ty for Assistance OF more than fifty
miles, and on this stream is large
bodies of bottom land, the most OF
which has been brought into cutiva
ton. PointRemoye river extends on
the eastern boundary of the county,
and the bottom land on this stream
is almost entirely subject to cultiva-
ton, and the adjacent hills are GOV
cred with the finest of timber, con
sisting Of red and black oak, white
oak, hickory, chinquepln and other
other oaks, interspersed with tall
pine. Cypress brakes are also found
upon this stream, some of which are
close to the railroad and very valua.
bic for lumber aud shingles. Be-
tween the PointRemove and the Hi
nois Bayou is large tract of up
lands with considerable mountains,
a great part of these lands are what
is known in the south as "barrens
land" are rich in sol and are adapt
ed to pasturage and planting use.
This includes some OF the finest set
Elements in the county, such as APP.
pleton, Caglesville and Scottsville
which is near the Bayou. This
section Of the county is thickly set.
tied and farmers are in healthy and
prosperous condition. The under
growth in this section Is almost trop.
ical in their exuberance, fine luscious
wild grapes, muscadines, plums and
all the berries abound. Peaches,
pears and apples grow as finely as in
any region. The native grasses are
very abundant and nutricious, whilst
clover, timothy, herd and other cul-
tivated grasses grow well, and we
wish to state IN this connection that
six or seven years ogo there was dis
covered near the town of Russell
vile, by DIR. I. M. Wyatt, what is
called japanese clover, which when
fenced and protected grows fifteen
inches high, and it has spread itself
over the entire county, old fields
that were formerly covered with
weeds and broom sage, has now a
thick coat Of the clover, and strange
to say, that unlike the white clover
that grows on the old fields and com
mons of Kentucky and Tennessee,
does not coufine itself to open lands
but is spreading itself over the en-
tire forests and uncultivated lands.
1t does not have bloom like the
red and white clover but the seed
are formed in pods and for grazing
purposes it is superior to the red or
white clover, and it looks as though
1t had come to the county to stay.
There is large tract Of land be-
tween what is known as the Illinois
Bayou and Piney creek, where the
timber is equal to the timber Of any
district Of land in the world Con
sisting Of thousands Of acres of the
finest yellow pine, some of which is
very large, and very often from so
TO rs feet to the first limbs, and there